Texas, 1997

Flash Flood in Texas, December 20, 1997

December 20, 1997 · NWS EWX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

General 3 inch rainfall over Burnet County, with up to 5 inches in the Watson area, caused flash flooding through the late morning hours and into the early afternoon.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$20,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS EWX wrote it up.

General 3 inch rainfall over Burnet County, with up to 5 inches in the Watson area, caused flash flooding through the late morning hours and into the early afternoon.

The radar

The Ft Hood radar (KGRK), 77 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:28 UTC.

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Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Burnet

When
December 20, 3:30 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Burnet County, Countywide
Property damage
$20,000
Coordinates
30.788, -98.182 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Texas in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, December 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5620116.